The present invention relates to a shaper cutterhead assembly and more particularly to a shaper cutterhead assembly that securely and reliably retains the cutter bits.
Shaper cutterheads are traditionally used in large woodworking shops for production runs, and in many smaller woodworking shops for producing custom molding, plaques, picture frames, and all kinds of shapings. Cutter bits, which make the cut in the wood, are available in many different configurations, and each different configuration cuts its own designed pattern.
The cutter bits are generally interchangeable, and as a result they must be secured to the cutterhead assembly. Typically, screws secure the bits to the cutterhead, and an example of such a securing system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,991. The screws in these systems, however, can loosen. If the screws do loosen, the cutterbits are then no longer securely held by the cutterhead, and they could fly out of the cutterhead as the cutterhead rotates at a high speed.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a shaper cutterhead assembly having easily replaced, low-cost standard bits, is of a small size and avoids the dangers associated with other cutterheads which rely only upon screws to retain their bits.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cutterhead assembly having bits that can be changed simply and quickly without tools, and which is not subject to the usual damage and wear from continued tightening (and often overtightening) of the clamping screws.